Keeping up with the crowd was nigh impossible. Juke was saintly enough to wait for me, but I could tell by how he clicked his tongue that he was getting annoyed. Or was he getting anxious? I couldn't tell.262Please respect copyright.PENANAWwwaPYIXtc
262Please respect copyright.PENANAo722MBoqB0
We arrived at the third floor. Another duo split off and the rest of us ascended. My poor stamina gave me difficulty, but I was riding a wave of adrenaline and anticipation I'd never felt before. Each step came and went without me realizing it, and soon enough, the floors whizzed by like a faint image. It was not until the seventh floor that I acknowledged what I saw again.262Please respect copyright.PENANA66oIJzua4e
262Please respect copyright.PENANAq7dMEY3Ui0
As it had gone since this started, I arrived last in the room, taking a moment to pant and catch my breath. The floor this time didn't have a straight shot from the entrance to the exit. It resembled the first floor more than anything: a large surface area with a foyer-like zone and branching paths, its size made possible only because there was no hallway transitioning from the stairs.262Please respect copyright.PENANAcKpRlJosTd
262Please respect copyright.PENANAR8x0n6Xqrk
What was truly worrisome, though, was the lack of Bringers.262Please respect copyright.PENANAmpzWtRupEn
262Please respect copyright.PENANAkrSdGtoCq2
Though the floors flashed by, I never failed to keep my eye on the danger that resided in them. Not seeing them right away immediately put me on edge, and judging from the sluggish pace of everyone else, I wasn't alone. The crowd practically prowled the room. Some even checked behind furniture.262Please respect copyright.PENANANiYfXYuAyp
262Please respect copyright.PENANAWzyaTv0joj
A minute passed, and the foyer was pronounced empty. The crowd left the zone, but I had to shoot one last scanning glance before I followed. They all moved to the left, and moving in tow, I turned the corner.262Please respect copyright.PENANA2ZtuMxVsAE
262Please respect copyright.PENANAT85DcJYiys
Though the entrance was similar to the first floor's, the primary chamber was different. Instead of a bulk surrounded by a circling hallway, it was four evenly spaced booths, forming a diamond, on a carpeted floor. The exit was placed stiffly by the topmost box. I noticed it before anyone else, but I was too nervous to point it out. It barely mattered since Pars noted it just a second later.262Please respect copyright.PENANAhsbf8dmVWh
262Please respect copyright.PENANAhMOoMcGtyO
"Exit's here! Let's roll!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAnmYjqXSPWE
262Please respect copyright.PENANAbffc67L1UO
I had a perfect line of sight from where I stood. Pars' forge ahead, and the sudden figure that sprung from a blindspot.262Please respect copyright.PENANAmXGF4i7x6t
262Please respect copyright.PENANALhAi2c4R1b
Everyone was caught off guard. The figure wore a familiar robe, one I loathed to see. Pars managed to block his leap, but the man had a cylinder resting on his shoulder. He pointed it at him and–262Please respect copyright.PENANA5rgl3yt9k9
262Please respect copyright.PENANAqrV36p65WY
**BOOM**262Please respect copyright.PENANA5xuDTIYbmk
262Please respect copyright.PENANA0UxfvtVXGI
A cloud of debris burst throughout the room. I closed my eyes in the nick of time, but the dust pricked and pinched at my skin. At least, it felt that way at first, until the squeezes transformed into burns.262Please respect copyright.PENANAP3y2gnL8qE
262Please respect copyright.PENANAZMkV21H0zL
"Ack!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAuAM2BydFv6
262Please respect copyright.PENANAKa8d7y1niS
I brushed my skin with my hands but it was futile with how thick the cloud was. Too afraid to open my eyes, I moved my feet backward until I collided with something. My back hit the wall, I fell to the ground, and only then did I work up the nerve to see.262Please respect copyright.PENANAGhBNNBhSUI
262Please respect copyright.PENANA42zPzME21i
The room was a catastrophe.262Please respect copyright.PENANAouNYHfaPY9
262Please respect copyright.PENANAhFB91y3bsW
Bodies littered the floor like wilting flowers. The warriors still moved and breathed but they writhed and gasped, clawing at their faces and limbs. The dust cloud was fortunately settling, and in the midst of nigh-cadavers was the robed man, lying on the ground.262Please respect copyright.PENANA1RRkwSEGlT
262Please respect copyright.PENANAhlDP2zkD3n
Pars was on him. His coat was seared and his face was scratched, but he still brought down punches as if he suffered no injuries. After a few to the face, the man blocked one and shoved Pars off his body. He got up to the ground fast and assumed a fighting stance.262Please respect copyright.PENANAO80mbiEErG
262Please respect copyright.PENANA1JT9yH8jQR
"Everyone," he shouted, "if you can see, help the blinded! Get a move on!"262Please respect copyright.PENANA3PW0HfE4dq
262Please respect copyright.PENANA4tQxR8vI8K
Through the pressure of the situation, his commanding words resonated with the crowd. People followed his orders to a tee; everyone but me. I stood there, not from terror, but indecision.262Please respect copyright.PENANA1Zb6tfQPa3
262Please respect copyright.PENANAU7ZTWg7ieD
I was behind the robed man. His backside was perfectly exposed. I was stuck between running or sneaking in a strike. But, once the two started exchanging attacks, I quit my vacillating and propped up my arm, beginning mana expulsion–262Please respect copyright.PENANAH2khkOKF5s
262Please respect copyright.PENANAdwWx16vpCY
**STRIKE**262Please respect copyright.PENANANKNb8jHcTS
262Please respect copyright.PENANAQOIfwsQtdt
–only to be immediately interrupted.262Please respect copyright.PENANALyJbFvTvMZ
262Please respect copyright.PENANAOYc61xmuWh
A metallic clang blew out and shook my body not because of its ferocity, but because it happened right behind me. I turned my head a second after and saw two clashing swords, forming an x.262Please respect copyright.PENANAnpi1H6R2IS
262Please respect copyright.PENANAxhKUmHuGjM
"Stop standin' still kid! Move!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAEM5pvT5dzx
262Please respect copyright.PENANAl6X4SnfTyl
Without a second beat, I scurried away. I continued mana expulsion, partially out of instinct, and weakly lobbed a sturdy stone at the swords.262Please respect copyright.PENANAtLloHi0kqj
262Please respect copyright.PENANAjHqDjDjG1g
I didn't hit them. They separated, and only then did I see who wielded them. Juke on the right, and another robed man on the left.262Please respect copyright.PENANABBXzE15lfE
262Please respect copyright.PENANAs45t4aViWM
I've seen those navy motifs enough to have them evoke a fighting instinct in me. I quickly regained my composure and got in a stance, taking my tendril out. Juke ran to my side, but he didn't stop.262Please respect copyright.PENANA7NnMEz311s
262Please respect copyright.PENANAmtxb9CDfwP
"C'mon!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAJfMIRvaTsi
262Please respect copyright.PENANAZ6OnM6SFNo
"--Ah!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAa7zlqfjwaA
262Please respect copyright.PENANAWUkAD1jzIB
I was quick enough to realize that this wasn't my fight. I turned tail and followed Juke, noticing that I finally wasn't the last to leave.262Please respect copyright.PENANAXk3yrZtMPy
262Please respect copyright.PENANAgMOqdj7jdo
I made no effort to inspect the ones who weren't moving.262Please respect copyright.PENANA4pNMvpqEV6
262Please respect copyright.PENANAzhEpvAi526
–
–
–
What a moron.262Please respect copyright.PENANAfNHf3ovn7U
262Please respect copyright.PENANAuEGN8ssgCG
It was to be expected– it should've been expected. The signs were so obvious that he knocked himself for being so remiss.262Please respect copyright.PENANAoyDOE71ybA
262Please respect copyright.PENANAvPOPuxze3p
A large room, utterly silent until the decisive moment. An ambush in a guarded building; what a concept, wasn't it?262Please respect copyright.PENANAlZF3qtYjnC
262Please respect copyright.PENANAR8ekiCzfG2
**THUD**262Please respect copyright.PENANA9k5RtrHATz
262Please respect copyright.PENANA2JFwRmkOY6
"Ngh!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAxVCdEShkTl
262Please respect copyright.PENANAGblCaq8GSs
That quaking strike brought him out of his scolding. He slid across the floor, biting his lips over his bruised arms.262Please respect copyright.PENANAYTJFPPe0QL
262Please respect copyright.PENANA8noAyLAHZh
"That thing on your shoulder's a real blowhard–"262Please respect copyright.PENANAMmBNpHBWwv
262Please respect copyright.PENANAVlB2PQDKgz
Unable to finish his line, forced to roll to the side to avoid a devastating projectile. It shook the room even through the magic-resistant skeleton. He got to his feet and reached into his torn coat, pulling out a single crossbow and shooting.262Please respect copyright.PENANATvzJ9FaTTp
262Please respect copyright.PENANASNvy8YGdGJ
To his surprise, the bolt connected. The Bringer was too slow on his feet to dodge it. It didn't connect with his body, however.262Please respect copyright.PENANAyDeMB6zR4D
262Please respect copyright.PENANAO4oAh3UHZF
"--I should've known!"262Please respect copyright.PENANApElxihqsT4
262Please respect copyright.PENANAWLKDTs0f4T
Instead, the bolt lodged into a plate of wood, one thrown from the side. Pars darted his gaze and saw a second Bringer. They quickly rushed to the first one's side.262Please respect copyright.PENANAhRW0UKQgQV
262Please respect copyright.PENANAJsJuyhKjVm
"Two against one, huh? I should've expected such dirty play, but–!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAUnM73C3xTK
262Please respect copyright.PENANAneqwJleANm
Pars had a tool in his disposal to even the odds.262Please respect copyright.PENANAaYMxTT8cA6
262Please respect copyright.PENANAN7ZRAN4k7c
"DAVE!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAm8G83Ai1Dh
262Please respect copyright.PENANAFrczX0f9RG
Shouting the name of his colleague, he turned his head this way and that to see where his partner was, making sure to glance back at his enemies occasionally. The Bringers didn't move, but they exchanged looks. Pars understood the meaning even with their faces covered. He ignored that, focusing on his unsuccessful finding of his friend, and so–262Please respect copyright.PENANAzhZOcjlqZc
262Please respect copyright.PENANA35ppo8ondK
"Dave! If you can hear me, I need some help!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAU1l29vzcKp
262Please respect copyright.PENANAQ4IeGRzIPg
He shouted again as he eyed the Bringers. The two got in a fighting stance, brandishing their respective weapons and preparing to dash. But, they didn't.
262Please respect copyright.PENANAPyc9uqX1o6
It wasn't out of trepidation, of fear or anything of the sort, but because they noticed something Pars didn't. He glanced behind him and spotted the man he'd been looking for.262Please respect copyright.PENANANZP3idNLv1
262Please respect copyright.PENANASK843EYobi
"Dave? How'd you get over there!? I just checked that place!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAyOQ7mLbaFb
262Please respect copyright.PENANAzJEnWmB67u
"Shut up, please. From now on, talk only with regards to the battle."262Please respect copyright.PENANA5qDON6lOIm
262Please respect copyright.PENANAfnoLpuI7ND
He stood up from his crouched position. Pars noticed that he was standing beside a body. It was motionless; completely still in the limbs and the chest. Had he not noticed that, Dave's face would've still given it away.262Please respect copyright.PENANABVImekYK4p
262Please respect copyright.PENANAlYAS90Ab26
"...Those are our first casualties–"262Please respect copyright.PENANAHpNSyIhCYm
262Please respect copyright.PENANAmaXB6ikY6Y
**BOOM**262Please respect copyright.PENANASwIMWUYgTl
262Please respect copyright.PENANAy5PMHz0q0I
As Pars was making his remark, an ear-shattering blast materialized before him. His eyes looked away from the blast, as his head was turned to Dave at that moment. When he jerked back, all he saw was a floating, crumbling piece of pottery.262Please respect copyright.PENANAA1rgvQCRYf
262Please respect copyright.PENANAMox17iYGiS
"--Shit, I lost my focus! I owe you one!"262Please respect copyright.PENANA2ohzmTgSUH
262Please respect copyright.PENANA3dteegPHES
Dave slowly strode to his side. He snatched the grains of the pottery, and as he held them in his hand, they shrunk into a pulp of clay he promptly dropped into a sack.262Please respect copyright.PENANAAJEKaFsds9
262Please respect copyright.PENANATUhLcRzH94
"I'm here now."262Please respect copyright.PENANAww6TBclGVS
262Please respect copyright.PENANA61U5yffufb
Leaning down and reaching inside the sack, the two warriors now mirrored each other's stances. They glared at Bringers, anticipating a jerk, a dash, a shot or a swing or a slash. All the Bringers did was reciprocate.262Please respect copyright.PENANAJG608cmHBz
262Please respect copyright.PENANALkB7KPBFVN
The clashing duos stood stock still in the silent room. Maimed by magic, coated in blood, reeking of death. His pounding heartbeat– the only sign he wasn't like corpses. Pars knew that losing would only lead to more.262Please respect copyright.PENANA57WMnmy48W
262Please respect copyright.PENANAFui93tlr53
And thus, he dashed forward, reaching in his coat.262Please respect copyright.PENANAdjrtEpQghb
262Please respect copyright.PENANACq9lkj5BT0
–262Please respect copyright.PENANAnQy8LeOcGW
262Please respect copyright.PENANA5qRkvyX7P3
–262Please respect copyright.PENANADLCLA9RZS7
262Please respect copyright.PENANAC5APfnzCt8
–262Please respect copyright.PENANA3cabdTwkym
262Please respect copyright.PENANAFp50ZrH5lB
By some force of nature, the two men split to combat their respective opponents. Pars thought of stopping for a second, calling for Dave to help him team up on this one or something of the sort. But Pars knew they didn't have, nor ever could have a relationship like that.262Please respect copyright.PENANAzRt9VlkHLt
262Please respect copyright.PENANAJAWJBu26en
He thought it strange that these were his thoughts right before the fight. Pars pushed them aside, but they already left their mark.262Please respect copyright.PENANACtkU7PQmvl
262Please respect copyright.PENANAgyV9mjthWs
He drew his knife out of his coat while putting his unloaded crossbow back in. The man he was fighting with was the one with the explosive cylinder, a weapon that succeeded in range just as well as it did in close quarters. But from its size alone, Pars could tell it was unwieldy.
So he flipped his knife in a reverse grip and slashed at the Bringer, who stepped back from the attack. Pars followed with a spin and a kick, but his foot was just short of making contact. The Bringer retaliated with a small dash and a kick of his own, which Pars had to raise his chin to avoid.262Please respect copyright.PENANAs6DUioBnbk
262Please respect copyright.PENANAn2I6BZS5Rr
He slashed again, a horizontal one this time, and when it missed he tossed his knife to change its direction and slashed again. It missed the Bringer, but it caught his robe. It cut open, revealing what looked to be–262Please respect copyright.PENANAdz7neFjLCX
262Please respect copyright.PENANANw9AEWWrDl
"Armor. Much like the others, huh?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAUY4G7r0Ig4
262Please respect copyright.PENANA7bIZVqZ4sy
The Bringer clicked his tongue and backed away. Pars didn't chase him. He reached inside his coat and took out his second, loaded crossbow. He aimed it at him, which caused the bringer to panic and shield his chest with the cylinder. Pars didn't fire, instead, he began mana expulsion through his hand.262Please respect copyright.PENANAHedngxhm43
262Please respect copyright.PENANAt7ozzBFTHd
The Bringer realized he had been tricked. He raised the cylinder and hoisted it on his shoulder, but by the time he could, Pars had already made his earthly contraption: A vase of stone, latched to his back and connected to his crossbow.262Please respect copyright.PENANApoWtS684V8
262Please respect copyright.PENANAxFb5qO3yRJ
One loud boom sounded throughout the room. The air around him, now dappled with cinders, guided the blazing arrow right to the Bringer.262Please respect copyright.PENANArxjMF4aEVX
262Please respect copyright.PENANAg8gb22N9BW
But the Bringer's contraption fired as well.262Please respect copyright.PENANANk9nI8a7og
262Please respect copyright.PENANAjkWF6XgNlg
**BOOM**262Please respect copyright.PENANAZxIfbaen1Y
262Please respect copyright.PENANAEJaQksKOey
The two projectiles connected, but their crash was closer to the Bringer than to Pars. Still, Pars was forced to step back from the blast, and the now ashen air forced a couple of coughs out of him.262Please respect copyright.PENANAEEHi1YmlSj
262Please respect copyright.PENANAkMaJk9EUpB
"Pars!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAerGkeII7he
262Please respect copyright.PENANA1y9hcZOEE8
"Huh?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAB5EcLtfpuy
262Please respect copyright.PENANAeRu5JvsClH
–262Please respect copyright.PENANArRk7RRmiuM
262Please respect copyright.PENANAcUUnNCOt93
–262Please respect copyright.PENANAFt5PMQ3Lm5
262Please respect copyright.PENANAsrwkHLqsdS
–262Please respect copyright.PENANAXlOc5RTVed
262Please respect copyright.PENANAekgAILmvSP
It was some kind of instinct, or maybe a habit, the way Dave split from Pars and took up his own opponent. Pars reciprocated, which he appreciated, though Dave had no time nor humility to say as much.262Please respect copyright.PENANAkKEQzKsjn0
262Please respect copyright.PENANAZw5EKzh9VU
Had it been up to him, Dave wouldn't be in the Pillar, fighting a circus of lunatics who wore gaudy garments. He'd likely still be in his store, crafting and staring at the pottery on his shelves. Imports wouldn't have come for a few days, but Dave was crafty and spent years on his contingency. He wasn't as proud of his works as those of others, naturally, but it mattered little when it was so fun.262Please respect copyright.PENANAtSALrWpBGt
262Please respect copyright.PENANAx2laMIQD9Q
No, truly, it was that silence that he valued most. That quiet building where nothing but creaking wood and muffled chatter reached his ears, with the occasional customer. It would've been even better in this scenario. The worst he'd have to deal with was a barging Bringer, but his barbed tongue would be enough to deter them. He was sure of it.262Please respect copyright.PENANAOZrCKRTyiK
262Please respect copyright.PENANAVjCql1DcTA
Though, as much as he'd like to believe that, he wasn't so stupid.262Please respect copyright.PENANAKqrOnwsgRg
262Please respect copyright.PENANAFIdjSPg7Et
**CLANG**262Please respect copyright.PENANAXLBvZpBhzY
262Please respect copyright.PENANAQoF583z0Ia
Swords clashed and chattered. The other was steel, while dave's was one of clay, but molded and braced with mana. It was still, however, a weapon of clay.262Please respect copyright.PENANAEvdRukNjmO
262Please respect copyright.PENANAgV9yWxWKyo
He looked at his weapon, a coarse curve where the gallant tine used to be and sighed. Had it been him from the past, it wouldn't be such a sorry show. The rigid structure dissolved into a mushy clump. He reached into the sack wrapped around his belt and took more clay, mixing it with the pile in his hand.262Please respect copyright.PENANAp1Gr5J4bed
262Please respect copyright.PENANAffQCBD67FC
The Bringer gave Dave no easy time doing so. He rushed forward, both hands on his longsword, and swung at Dave. Holding the clay, he threw it forward, and it mutated into a great shield which the sword bounced off of like a ball off the ground. The Bringer staggered, and Dave grabbed the clay, transforming it into a thin battering ram.262Please respect copyright.PENANAkoUOkeRsvt
262Please respect copyright.PENANAAnNZYyJDiR
**SLAM**262Please respect copyright.PENANAJpkngyhX26
262Please respect copyright.PENANAeQU9eLrvNM
He ran and bashed it into the Bringer's stomach, who let out a breathless retch. Dave kept running, planning to pin the Bringer to the wall, but the bringer grabbed onto the ram and stuck his feet into the ground. Dave's advance was stopped, but that dismayed him little. The pole of clay retracted and morphed into a ball. Dave dug his fingers into it as it hardened, and then he swung it across. The Bringer barely raised his arm quickly enough to block it.262Please respect copyright.PENANAKocYStCDID
262Please respect copyright.PENANAebtemXSnua
Though, by the way he was sent to the floor, it would be a stretch to call it a block.262Please respect copyright.PENANALCHd2KUel9
262Please respect copyright.PENANAjrLxuOSBTt
The Bringer tried to get on his feet but kicked him in the chin, sending him rolling. Dave morphed his clay into a sword and approached the Bringer with steady steps. With how much he struggled to stand, Dave was sure that he was done.262Please respect copyright.PENANAVAQHLKp7bi
262Please respect copyright.PENANAFBNGuyE2Cu
But then, the Bringer reached into his robe. A barrage of little knives flew his way, and dave couldn't morph his clay fast enough. He curled up and blocked what he could, and though it missed his vitals–262Please respect copyright.PENANASi1GJxROCY
262Please respect copyright.PENANANiP7SvNFEJ
"Ngh! Shit–!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAbsNVjcul7b
262Please respect copyright.PENANAAKTOn8RkkZ
A few knives scraped his, and another violently lodged itself into his leg. Dave stood up quickly and attempted to run, aching to finish the still floor-stuck Harbinger.262Please respect copyright.PENANAbP4hSgnvG1
262Please respect copyright.PENANAKYasVWfs1w
But then–262Please respect copyright.PENANAQLQ1oRlAFs
262Please respect copyright.PENANAlEVb37irEP
**BOOM**262Please respect copyright.PENANAara6AG0JZP
262Please respect copyright.PENANAiUqam5yXty
A ring in his ear followed by an eruption of dust, one that prevented him from seeing his target. Dave clicked his tongue and backed away, paying heed to his impaled limb. Seeing no better alternative–262Please respect copyright.PENANALI8VtzhwCq
262Please respect copyright.PENANAFuKstclHfZ
–262Please respect copyright.PENANAR3785nksrl
262Please respect copyright.PENANAJZJBzCotsz
–262Please respect copyright.PENANA10tcUpagnn
262Please respect copyright.PENANAlI2JeGifCT
–262Please respect copyright.PENANAhGPNCzVz9S
262Please respect copyright.PENANAtoDmhiqELk
Pars heard Dave's voice through the thick smog. He assumed he wanted to regroup, a prudent decision with the low visibility, but yelling would reveal his location to his opponents. He had to find a way to reconnect, or at the very least, keep his eye out for the Bringers.262Please respect copyright.PENANAvm0bOyTPmJ
262Please respect copyright.PENANAhn3Asz0e47
Though it was impossible to see, Pars knew that staying still was a death wish. He dashed back, careful not to go too far to avoid crashing into a wall, then quietly tiptoed around the parameter of the room. Where he was, Pars was out of the clutch of the smoke, but that made seeing inside all the more difficult. However–262Please respect copyright.PENANAGWZBLuXZC9
262Please respect copyright.PENANADHj3yu68kX
"Gah–! You scared me!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAZqblbAtmwP
262Please respect copyright.PENANAZNXfLdlCBD
Dave burst from the smoke, exiting it so fiercely it rippled. The smoke began to clear shortly after, and the two men eyed the room for their opponents. A few seconds passed by, then a minute; nowhere to be seen, there was only one possible option.262Please respect copyright.PENANAiuaAasDax5
262Please respect copyright.PENANASxEFBcy6QL
"They're hiding," Dave muttered.262Please respect copyright.PENANA2IPM3fOEOy
262Please respect copyright.PENANAIJN8T3pNGM
"Yeah. We're at a good vantage, though. After all–"262Please respect copyright.PENANATZBJN8uORw
262Please respect copyright.PENANAFFSphiQITK
"No, this is terrible."262Please respect copyright.PENANAl6vS0LKRH4
262Please respect copyright.PENANAKulyVx3WnX
Dave interjected with a rival statement, giving Pars a confused look.262Please respect copyright.PENANAuGdQprteiN
262Please respect copyright.PENANASFj7mpmPtU
"Of these four boxes, there's no telling which one they're hiding behind. They can wait there all they want and we can't do anything about it. We're the attacking party, after all."262Please respect copyright.PENANA26ydU0dgwf
262Please respect copyright.PENANAlzcOqgDR99
"You're... you're making a good point. Tch!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAnR92iONlsp
262Please respect copyright.PENANArn6UcnIRFp
Pars took on a defensive stance, raising his arms and darting his eyes from booth to booth. He looked at Dave for his reaction, but he showed no concern. In fact, he almost looked annoyed.262Please respect copyright.PENANAzDVwkd8Rs0
262Please respect copyright.PENANAQvwSAJqm07
"What do we do? I have a suggestion, but–"262Please respect copyright.PENANApQS11Yr2VA
262Please respect copyright.PENANADGvYAlK1qP
"No. No suggestions from you, please."262Please respect copyright.PENANAfp8fOKNxOW
262Please respect copyright.PENANAww5VamK3b0
He put his fingers on his temples. Completely discarding him, closing his eyes, and locking himself within a chamber of thoughts. Pars was permitted no entry, no involvement, and no influence.262Please respect copyright.PENANApTCqKSqCo1
262Please respect copyright.PENANAg68yC45VoV
It was standard proceedings, as far as Pars was concerned. But something about it, something about this instance, made it utterly insufferable.262Please respect copyright.PENANATT8dNIYqqV
262Please respect copyright.PENANAzOJdvIn38j
"Why not, Dave? Why not take a suggestion?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAJWnMSQAfWA
262Please respect copyright.PENANAZ4ncvxDw0P
Dave's eyes twitched, but he still held his head.262Please respect copyright.PENANAsafs7P3e1Q
262Please respect copyright.PENANAUwS9ThEYY0
"Aren't you and I a team? Aren't we fighting while staking our lives? Fighting the same enemy!?"262Please respect copyright.PENANA9zVorUW5Rl
262Please respect copyright.PENANAjZ99pJY1Gw
Still, no response.262Please respect copyright.PENANAhBSVICC9yA
262Please respect copyright.PENANA4xfIuQajYC
"Can't you jerk out the wax from your ears and listen to me for once!? Why are you still being so damn stubborn!? Why are you–"262Please respect copyright.PENANAqmbCjPE4do
262Please respect copyright.PENANArowRVnkbc9
"Because you're entirely incompetent."262Please respect copyright.PENANACuCYMGTQfL
262Please respect copyright.PENANAO7zGZmUeRw
With a low, but stern tone, Pars' rant was cut short.262Please respect copyright.PENANAx8fP6uQ4qD
262Please respect copyright.PENANAwSqHLm0mE7
"Because people like you care too much for looks. Because people like you want to garner laughs and smiles but yield when the situation demands sincerity. Because people like you can't gauge to save their life. Like a tool, only useful when something pilots you."262Please respect copyright.PENANAXmaDbu8ORZ
262Please respect copyright.PENANAEiq5VaoJzb
"..."262Please respect copyright.PENANAcUVfVQxK4W
262Please respect copyright.PENANAslmOEgHeK8
"I can't deny your fighting prowess, but your idiocy makes it all useless. Look at this: your ridiculous need to use two crossbows. Your unsuitable equipment. Your sagging coat. Your dull knife. Your dearth of ammunition. Do you use such bootless tools just because they're flashy? All of this focus on image, and look at what good that's done for us. Look at the position we're in now."262Please respect copyright.PENANAAhlxaYg4FQ
262Please respect copyright.PENANA6hrtapTL8R
"..."262Please respect copyright.PENANAzEBLefpVwb
262Please respect copyright.PENANAiT1M9y1MrG
Dave stopped his speech. He sighed and grabbed a chunk of clay from his sack, transforming it into a heavy sword. He took a step forward, but suddenly stopped to look behind him.262Please respect copyright.PENANABDJtj58f5E
262Please respect copyright.PENANAaNlogLDY3x
"What?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAN709vLjsVB
262Please respect copyright.PENANAP8aS12cw02
Pars was still. He tried to move. Even his mouth would've done, but his lips couldn't open through the spiral of thoughts he'd been thrown into. Dave lost his attention quickly. He turned around and brandished his weapon, and seeing that, Pars gagged the words out of his throat.262Please respect copyright.PENANAguwOU4xE17
262Please respect copyright.PENANAPxr2mBDE6m
"...You think I'm doing this only for reputation?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAr2zXhunjNR
262Please respect copyright.PENANA3FIZnR8ikI
Dave didn't even grant him a nod, but his silence was affirmation enough.262Please respect copyright.PENANA5UbCfYP2ZQ
262Please respect copyright.PENANAbJqZKgfTF6
"...I see."262Please respect copyright.PENANADGBFofjr5O
262Please respect copyright.PENANA9dexgpf8yU
He assumed a fighting stance yet again. Only, it wasn't held with stride and trust, but with shaking limbs. A pose done only as proof of effort; a pose done for someone else.262Please respect copyright.PENANADIwTNuwVYT
262Please respect copyright.PENANAfIf46lwifE
Pars realized how pathetic it was. He dropped it instantly and pinched his nose, releasing a lengthy, laborious sigh. A moment's pause passed and he took a step forward. He grabbed his coat by its collar and slowly took it off, dropping it with a clatter. He balled his hands into a fist and narrowed his eyes at the room before him.262Please respect copyright.PENANAzH5GjgwRBq
262Please respect copyright.PENANA7IMkpx5p2g
"Maybe you're right, Dave. My get-up is a little ridiculous. The way I fight is a little strange– who am I kidding, it's plain stupid to someone like you. Maybe something has to change. Not maybe, you're right– something does have to change."262Please respect copyright.PENANAJIY2QGqH2x
262Please respect copyright.PENANAFh8a5wZcyj
He reached into his coat. He took out a crossbow, his knife, and his last bolt. He kicked the coat aside and loaded the crossbow. He had a view of all four booths of the room, and angles just wide enough for something to strike them all. He hooked the knife on his belt and held his hand out, spreading his fingers apart. Sparks began to form.262Please respect copyright.PENANAiI9HDJ53Kb
262Please respect copyright.PENANAXBvvnVnxWQ
"But what really matters to me, is that I've missed the mark. I know you're especially stuck-up, but it's exactly people like you that I do this for."262Please respect copyright.PENANA1CJviMWqOo
262Please respect copyright.PENANAnBATv1OlRp
A restless, pulsing blaze formed in Pars' palm. He held his arm up and split the flame into four.262Please respect copyright.PENANAOKhS6fgPMq
262Please respect copyright.PENANAFnbIaaGsR5
"I want to inspire. I want to be adored. I want to calm people down just by being there. A beacon, to signal that everything will be fine. So, if I can't even earn your respect–"262Please respect copyright.PENANA7wEfxJGoHT
262Please respect copyright.PENANADaVr3Yzo5J
He slid his feet apart, reeling his arm back and aiming at the booths.262Please respect copyright.PENANAj0p8BFyJZd
262Please respect copyright.PENANA6t3HiggerF
"--then there's no hope for my wishes!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAvbAqjgCh7P
262Please respect copyright.PENANAkPlVlf9VbB
He flung his arm and the flames followed, striking all four booths and engulfing them. The architecture of the building would snuff the flames out soon, but that didn't matter. Before even the paint burnt off, the Bringers soared like flies. Dave rushed forward, but before attacking, he yelled:262Please respect copyright.PENANAXHMHeYbhC3
262Please respect copyright.PENANAsgJMyWu00v
"I'll take the one with the cannon!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAFn9w5gjkMa
262Please respect copyright.PENANAUxQHk7oY2s
"Alright!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAjtIR4Sz7I1
262Please respect copyright.PENANAAFg4bmHr7M
Pars thus ran opposite of Dave. It was strange; they weren't any closer to working together, and yet, Pars felt satisfied. He had a kind of drive that warmed him and a feeling in his chest that told him he had taken the right step.262Please respect copyright.PENANAbLQmK8DYbl
262Please respect copyright.PENANAZbTtFGdrBo
He brandished the crossbow and ran at the Bringer. Pars lost all his worries– he steeled himself, to prove his words, to break through and shine.262Please respect copyright.PENANACFZrlSZtvK
262Please respect copyright.PENANAVnLFvp11Ft
–262Please respect copyright.PENANAAnCWQ55bD0
262Please respect copyright.PENANAiQ3hMxeZAz
–262Please respect copyright.PENANAKNltA7hAPk
262Please respect copyright.PENANAYhXgWhjA3M
–262Please respect copyright.PENANAXQe3O2NV5H
262Please respect copyright.PENANAT2dd4msFBw
He couldn't catch anything from this opponent when he fought the one with the blaster, but a sword-wielding man wasn't a riddle. Pars fought and sparred with dozens of them, so he still approached with brazen moxie. The Bringer, still running from the flames, didn't notice Pars hot on his heels. He took advantage of that; instead of a furious, direct sprint, Pars veered to the side and ran around the Bringer's trajectory. He came to a stop and turned around, brandishing his sword directly behind him, but Pars hid behind the bottommost booth, letting a single eye peer at the Bringer.262Please respect copyright.PENANAwpIGTb9Pom
262Please respect copyright.PENANAG2qIb3Dzyc
He thought of firing his crossbow but that man was likely more armored than the other. So instead, he began mana expulsion and formed a cluster of earthen spikes. He moved his hand just over the edge of the booth and fired.262Please respect copyright.PENANAMKxTHSmhQZ
262Please respect copyright.PENANADrSUIBtURq
The man noticed the spikes instantly, moving to block with his sword. Pars' volley was too vast and quick for success. The spikes tore and scratched at his robes, but none of them wounded or penetrated. A great deal bounced off like the man was of rubber, and the ones that didn't were shallow in their piercing.262Please respect copyright.PENANAJ9znpHdB1X
262Please respect copyright.PENANA0PppZPv2MA
Pars clicked his tongue and kicked from his hiding place, charging at the bringer. The bringer didn't challenge his approach but took a stance with his sword in both hands.262Please respect copyright.PENANASWU1XGCpuy
262Please respect copyright.PENANARU3I89lOnS
Even though his dagger was hefty, it would be a sure loser in a clash with that sword. Pars ran his brain with every step, sifting through whatever options he thought of first. A direct approach was dangerous, a contest was out of the question, and Pars had too much skin exposed to dance and stand with limbs.262Please respect copyright.PENANANRYk21BHqo
262Please respect copyright.PENANAFEig0i4crU
Thus, he skidded to a stop. He flipped his dagger and jumped back, spinning on a foot and kicking the weapon with the other.262Please respect copyright.PENANAntKs9QKIIN
262Please respect copyright.PENANA4Nnt4No9YB
The Bringer jolted, and his surprise netted Pars a successful hit. His eyes widened when he saw the dagger embedded into his shoulder. Shallow as it was, it didn't matter to Pars. After all, such a flashy move managed to–262Please respect copyright.PENANA7JdJ88uFD0
262Please respect copyright.PENANABm00c5xqmi
"--No!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAA4jLOEOnTF
262Please respect copyright.PENANAZpvhSRl8Ag
He hit himself up the head and bolted toward the bringer. That split second was enough for him to dislodge the knife, and Par's blade was thrown back at him. Its speed was too sudden, so he jerked his head as it whizzed by, chipping his ear and forcing a hiss.262Please respect copyright.PENANA4r9nzEfkHb
262Please respect copyright.PENANANXNU6iLgxr
Pars continued his approach. The Bringer reacted by reeling his arms back and swinging. It was completely horizontal, leaving no room for a reactive step, but–262Please respect copyright.PENANA8B5PWt2g1M
262Please respect copyright.PENANAln22KkpISW
"Hyua!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAaNmeL68A6o
262Please respect copyright.PENANAWQm7FWEzuh
Pars dove forward to the ground and latched onto the Bringer's foot. The swing naturally missed, but now Pars was stuck in an unsightly position with no easy counter. The bringer violently shook his foot but pars lost the dagger to quiet it down.262Please respect copyright.PENANAvu7d4NYZ86
262Please respect copyright.PENANANqqCZMz5q7
However, he did have another sharp object.262Please respect copyright.PENANADc3cSaaIGR
262Please respect copyright.PENANAHXbdluUywQ
He raised his crossbow and stabbed the bolt into his calf. He pulled it out and did it again. There was resistance, but Pars' quick thrusts pierced through the shoddy leather armoring– an easy weak point, and one he didn't pass to abuse. But Pars' awareness didn't narrow with the opportunity. A few stabs were all he wanted before letting go and rolling aside, missing the hunk of metal that clanged the ground he had just been on.262Please respect copyright.PENANAyHlq9WOwgg
262Please respect copyright.PENANAREFQQzUEwe
He got to his feet and lunged at the Bringer. Unable to defend, the Bringer dragged his cumbersome sword as he dashed away, but it all played into Pars' plans.262Please respect copyright.PENANAuZbxZp1rA0
262Please respect copyright.PENANAoIdUOvDZ0n
Gripping the crossbow with both of his hands, he raised it and aimed the bolt at the hooded face. Through the shadow, Pars could see the white from his shrinking pupils. The Bringer jerked to block the bolt, releasing one hand to cover his face– but a bolt never came.262Please respect copyright.PENANAb4JnrQ24D1
262Please respect copyright.PENANAABAjFVL6aP
Pars lowered the crossbow and freed one hand. It was a foolhardy move with an immediate toll, but in under a second, Pars formed a mass of flames. Irregular in its shape and wavering in its form, he pressed the mass against the stomach of the Bringer. The Bringer only just began to move his covering arm. Pars felt inclined to smirk, but in that split moment, he resisted.262Please respect copyright.PENANAyvwdYuMdXJ
262Please respect copyright.PENANAOs8jHwuKr1
And what came was–262Please respect copyright.PENANArgHrxtXWtb
262Please respect copyright.PENANA86F1ONZbJ4
**BOOM**262Please respect copyright.PENANAzqrsIIGCpu
262Please respect copyright.PENANAN010zZ1YHd
The blast seared his vision first. His body launched with violent spins afterward. A swift collision against a hard surface stopped his flight. He let out a leaden groan and rubbed his eyes before opening them again, but the aftermath was much more painless than he expected.262Please respect copyright.PENANAB17hwLq9ug
262Please respect copyright.PENANAvsArapP6Pm
Pars stood up. He looked at himself to assess the damage and found his skin black as charcoal. It made him jolt, but a quick shake of the arm revealed that it was a blanket of burnt fabric. He shook his head and returned his attention to the battlefield, but his ashen vision made it difficult to see far. He saw two figures in a duel– likely Dave and the other –but the third was–262Please respect copyright.PENANACOVp7yU0Xq
262Please respect copyright.PENANAkaeCBTxpQP
"--oop!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAw83h7JYsdq
262Please respect copyright.PENANAzsf1e4QEaK
Instinct commanded his body to move. He jumped to the side but was still blown away by a furious gust. He stopped himself from rolling, noticing his knife nearby and scampering to grab it. After his snatch, he gave his eyes one more rub and observed the scene.262Please respect copyright.PENANAPUEWp2oMgz
262Please respect copyright.PENANAK7aiis7Y4n
"You... you're a sick jokester."262Please respect copyright.PENANAIxpjSA5OEB
262Please respect copyright.PENANAMP8AJn9cdX
He lost the energy to click his tongue. All he could wage were weak words of wrath. Words that left with ebbing air, the panting of a hog before a gliding spear.
The Bringer from before had their robes charred, revealing a blackened plate of armor that covered his chest. But those details came secondary to his erratic nimbus of wind.262Please respect copyright.PENANARPEZN5A0rk
262Please respect copyright.PENANAUoDNHpIvnl
Pars brandished his knife, ready to charge. He had no opportunity to, though. A bend of the knees was followed by a soaring dash. The Bringer turned into an arrow, and. Pars raised his hands to block the damage. But he wasn't hit.262Please respect copyright.PENANAJ6TkSWpeNI
262Please respect copyright.PENANAzQoexvPgWn
A blast of wind erupted from the Bringer that cocked him back and pinned him in the air. His hovering body left Pars' mouth agape, and he had it shut as it was kicked.262Please respect copyright.PENANAKTMwQxFl1u
262Please respect copyright.PENANApSWgVm9r4y
The kick wasn't strong. It shouldn't have been, because it didn't feel all that painful. But the ferocity by which Pars flew compensated for the painlessness.262Please respect copyright.PENANAOpZYw5diYp
262Please respect copyright.PENANAwnKcJYIqtR
His head bore into the wall. His heartbeat rang in his ears and head, a frenzied demand that Pars responded to only through reflex. He felt a liquid trickle down and down his body, and he didn't have to wipe it off and look to tell it was blood.262Please respect copyright.PENANAJrowiJJkjE
262Please respect copyright.PENANAq9cFC3SXl3
"What the hell... what the hell!?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAW0nTnVvG14
262Please respect copyright.PENANAhD34CYcpTR
His knife locked within his palm, he eyed the Bringer. The nimbus was gone now, but the bringer had a wide and stretched pose and performed expulsion from all possible orifices. Any moment that coat of wind would cover him again, and in that moment he'd be struck with another gusting bomb.262Please respect copyright.PENANAwONPEO6wOw
262Please respect copyright.PENANA4rYPrhvHIe
Pars grityed his teeth and wiped his brow. The blood was getting cold. If it was on any longer, he would shiver.262Please respect copyright.PENANARwItK8ih9q
262Please respect copyright.PENANAWsonrim1P3
Though, his body took those measures far sooner than it should've.262Please respect copyright.PENANAe1IAdrbteB
262Please respect copyright.PENANAE13x5L01Qy
"...Heh."262Please respect copyright.PENANA8ZNfBDMuBo
262Please respect copyright.PENANAerowiCYZqY
He clicked his tongue and put his blade in the holster, creating a hunk of stone with a handlebar with his free hand. A crummy, clumsy cover– the only thing he could make before that Bringer flew again.262Please respect copyright.PENANArSvJ2wnBdh
262Please respect copyright.PENANArM1I6uExgf
–
–
–
Dave was pricked by the blazing booths. That heat reached his head like a sucker punch, and like a sucker punch, it was a blow that damaged more than the body. Though, it was clear to him that what was happening inside was irrespective of that.262Please respect copyright.PENANAMrR3QIkuN8
262Please respect copyright.PENANAF5ANgfDTlU
He couldn't pin that feeling down. Not with the time he had, though that troubled him. Time wasn't a problem before for situations like these. What changed now? That feeling seeped through and danced on his skin. It had to be because goosebumps were forming.262Please respect copyright.PENANApKBqfvVviM
262Please respect copyright.PENANAcm88PnesT6
**THUD**262Please respect copyright.PENANA9wMVFsZAj2
262Please respect copyright.PENANAYtQxlzBTk1
His clay sword clashed with the Bringer's cannon, letting out a clunky sound. The scuffle lasted for a moment until Dave kicked his foot. He struck the Bringer in the leg just hard enough to loosen his grip. Dave won the struggle but reaped no reward; the Bringer merely backed off the moment his weapon gave way.262Please respect copyright.PENANAMCLuD8p5RA
262Please respect copyright.PENANAviCWMdig8L
He scoffed at the result. A part of him had hoped that would be the end there, but he knew an opponent Pars struggled with would be no walk in the park.262Please respect copyright.PENANA7UNsUXpKDq
262Please respect copyright.PENANA4icQ4BN8hy
"Though I have to wonder–"262Please respect copyright.PENANAyxyWkQWtkj
262Please respect copyright.PENANABp83mRGjSR
He closed the gap with a swift dash and thrust his sword. The bringer didn't dodge the strike, but rather, blocked it with his forearm. The sword didn't penetrate– it nearly bounced off.262Please respect copyright.PENANAea77t0eirq
262Please respect copyright.PENANAmxFSrGDjPs
The sudden backlash left him wide-eyed and his stance awry. He tried a quick correction. The Bringer shot a cone of earth from his cannon, and Dave moved fast enough to escape with just a graze. But the top of his blade had been caught by the projectile.262Please respect copyright.PENANAH4buOXg6ew
262Please respect copyright.PENANAlIvLLNSgiB
Dave stepped back and disassembled his weapon into simple clay. He tore the pile in half and created a small round shield in one and a spear in the other.262Please respect copyright.PENANAlevhj3ahuw
262Please respect copyright.PENANAGOpX6Gq0Sp
However, after its creation, Dave realized that such a puny shield would only be a liability. Amending it was locked by the advance of the Bringer. Dave acted with his defensive arsenal at first, sticking his shield out and gripping the spear. The Bringer aimed his cannon and fired another drill of earth. Dave contested it with his shield, and though the force pushed him back and tore at his arm it was enough to stop it.262Please respect copyright.PENANAUx500Fy03o
262Please respect copyright.PENANAnlfn1CpJJj
The Bringer kept up with his assault. He forewent the cannon and rushed with an earthly dagger. Dave had a moment of perplexion, one that lasted just long enough for the Bringer to aim his launcher yet again. Close enough for it to reach, Dave simply stabbed his spear. But the Bringer stepped to the side and snatched the shaft.262Please respect copyright.PENANAYV5I9f5ZhV
262Please respect copyright.PENANApzGGrIgXDi
With his movements constricted, Dave had an immediate thought: he let go of the spear and bashed the Bringer with his shield. Even with its dent, it was strong enough to shove him away, but by no means did it do any damage.
262Please respect copyright.PENANA6UBlcAlubt
"Irritating...!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAdvPyltaZdb
262Please respect copyright.PENANAgFSfxarW8a
He dissolved the shield and picked up the spear. He grabbed the weapon with both hands, and though he was fixed to rush, he stood still. Dave knew keeping his distance would just give the Bringer more chances to shoot, but this was something he had to spare. Something dawned on him amid that fight, when his spear was caught and his shield became his weapon. It was a question, though when it gained form, it didn't appear as such.262Please respect copyright.PENANAshnRNBH1B3
262Please respect copyright.PENANAWlELHFFRwa
Dave didn't like to use spears.262Please respect copyright.PENANAXSD6jCJDBq
262Please respect copyright.PENANAHr6TTrst05
"...Haaaaa."262Please respect copyright.PENANAioHF2Furu3
262Please respect copyright.PENANAHpRXFD7src
He released a tired sigh. He returned his attention to the Bringer, who naturally took advantage of Dave's pondering and made himself comfortable across the room. Dave charged forth.262Please respect copyright.PENANAGL3b8E0hdF
262Please respect copyright.PENANAJwqSlEr1mX
It was strange of him. Back then, his versatility was the root of his pride. The crux of his proficiency and the agent of his title. An 'Officer,' he was labeled. He retired it long ago.262Please respect copyright.PENANA6eNpMG0RZj
262Please respect copyright.PENANABNsj61IEXg
But, he didn't let his skills lie and rot, and it was precisely for situations like these that he practiced swings and ran around the city. That he made those vases despite thinking himself scanty.262Please respect copyright.PENANAlVyuB7fveL
262Please respect copyright.PENANAodcdlSS2j4
That's what he always told himself, at least.262Please respect copyright.PENANAAhHbtO65ON
262Please respect copyright.PENANAs2NkTw56Gh
**CLASH**
He couldn't help but see a bit of Pars in himself. It wasn't his bravado– goodness, no, it wasn't that. But it was of a similar substance. The root of both his and Pars' bizarre tendencies, an attribute admonished and attacked by Dave.
**CLANG**262Please respect copyright.PENANAcwczH1eqwM
262Please respect copyright.PENANAJNdFW35Dts
Foolishness. It was plain human foolishness. And though it pained him to confess it, he was as much a practician as anybody else.262Please respect copyright.PENANAFaemh2Es1q
262Please respect copyright.PENANACUBrHurFdc
**CLASH**262Please respect copyright.PENANAxd7yXb4I44
262Please respect copyright.PENANAKZSQk6BS5t
Dave slid across the room, reeling from a blocked strike delivered by the Bringer's cannon. Though his body was untouched, his muscles twitched from the force. He fixed his stance and steeled his composure. He opened his eyes and gazed at the Bringer, then sprinted while forming a new clay claymore.
**CLANG**262Please respect copyright.PENANAWU2cV2myVh
262Please respect copyright.PENANAwjZrDqvGQN
The strokes of his arms, the swings of his blade, the stomps of his feet, and the sting of his wounds. Why was it that all of these, these things– why did they make him feel so much?262Please respect copyright.PENANAsTHbuS6i3K
262Please respect copyright.PENANA3CIwaHRlhh
**CLASH**262Please respect copyright.PENANAjbBqJrPwDP
262Please respect copyright.PENANAHtT09l8Mqo
Frustration, fervor, fury, ferocity–
**CRASH**262Please respect copyright.PENANAWAOMKOBDTV
262Please respect copyright.PENANAEBX21wrkpj
Adrenaline, adamance, anxiety, anguish–
**CLASH**262Please respect copyright.PENANAlYqnEtBeeg
262Please respect copyright.PENANArnEpuViXLf
His chest was a twister that forever picked new debris.
**CLASH**
262Please respect copyright.PENANAXBkbtV9PvG
Confusion–262Please respect copyright.PENANA3eKMHVEgkd
262Please respect copyright.PENANAsq782kZq28
**CLANG**262Please respect copyright.PENANAGjh63VUgDs
262Please respect copyright.PENANAZquXalyhJw
Delusion–262Please respect copyright.PENANAVgNnsGWhfq
262Please respect copyright.PENANACBJpbPoPC5
**CRASH**262Please respect copyright.PENANATAEGmGWdIE
262Please respect copyright.PENANAOFWVwyTvh6
All lead to one conclusion:262Please respect copyright.PENANAqe4OFbHbfH
262Please respect copyright.PENANAl7gxXMVoKH
**SMASH**262Please respect copyright.PENANAV587n2gf6m
262Please respect copyright.PENANA5zu2ntlxsk
Followed by the shattering of his blade, Dave rolled across the sullied floor, pushed further by a sudden gust of wind. The blast at that time was too fierce for him to block. He got to his feet, looked at his palm, and wondered if his blade truly was to blame.262Please respect copyright.PENANAgdqjPdE42U
262Please respect copyright.PENANACnXv6bdoUO
"...No, of course it isn't."262Please respect copyright.PENANAeKZE8V5PL7
262Please respect copyright.PENANARFdzzV28tE
Dave had a smirk on his face. But he was a torn man under that expression.262Please respect copyright.PENANAuTTDzNUQaG
262Please respect copyright.PENANABveg4CHA6S
Because, didn't he long for a more peaceful life? Is that not why he made that pottery shop?262Please respect copyright.PENANAJ0GtZXSWrG
262Please respect copyright.PENANAVxaGRNjtaQ
Then why were these blasts of nostalgia laced with such regret–262Please respect copyright.PENANAShjQ7W6WxA
262Please respect copyright.PENANAiKTadd7Tdm
**THUD**262Please respect copyright.PENANA5UPVGxlMEM
262Please respect copyright.PENANA1yAiqvhS5B
A sudden force hurled Dave out of his muddied mind. He tumbled to the floor, striking his chin against it and prompting a thorough rub. He turned to see what had hit him, and found the coatless body of his teammate–262Please respect copyright.PENANAZLlLpQU7M2
262Please respect copyright.PENANAtmkME9yekG
"Pars!?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAzPoUD89wtv
262Please respect copyright.PENANAkLQqJUzhtA
"Ack... quiet down. My head's spinning as is."
–
–
–
The two men stood with their backs against each other. They eyed their surroundings, landing their gazes on their debilitating opponents. Dave still ached from the collision, and Pars didn't fare any better, but their stalwart stances still intimidated.262Please respect copyright.PENANAFdzbeRRlkE
262Please respect copyright.PENANAA8bHqHCMd1
"How's it on your end," Pars asked, his voice cracking on every consonant. Dave didn't fancy telling of his inner turmoils, so he told of his physical state instead.262Please respect copyright.PENANAR9btHmHLHx
262Please respect copyright.PENANAuwCSsZwtLh
"Fine, but injured. Their tricks are starting to exhaust me."262Please respect copyright.PENANAM8vBN4ugnX
262Please respect copyright.PENANAl4zZjlfmXl
"Likewise. When I think I get 'em, they just pull another thing out of their ass."262Please respect copyright.PENANAT6aiA2dQrs
262Please respect copyright.PENANAHdWwIY2XYH
The Bringers began a steady approach. No flexing of their muscles nor narrowing of their eyes would deter them now; they had to think fast and act just as quickly.
"I'm getting pretty tired of these two, you know."262Please respect copyright.PENANABQfCG8gSi2
262Please respect copyright.PENANAuDhoVFcwDv
Dave sternly nodded at Pars' assertion.262Please respect copyright.PENANAuSmUHYDe2e
262Please respect copyright.PENANAizUeUOhKDX
"I'm getting tired in general. I've been hit too many times, and I'm not built for battle marathons anyway. We need to finish this fast."262Please respect copyright.PENANAsAyZhVDGQa
262Please respect copyright.PENANASnagnURtOe
"What do you propose?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAP9qKMaTtKZ
262Please respect copyright.PENANAwuGM2k73pE
Pars closed his eyes and took a deep breath.262Please respect copyright.PENANAPV4kJR6l5q
262Please respect copyright.PENANAWPJYsW9beI
The truth was that he had nothing. He was enamored with the idea of cooperating since the beginning of this fight, but he barely had the strength to throw a punch at another person. All this fighting up until now only to prove a point. But Pars realized, in his battered and weary state, that only damaged his performance.262Please respect copyright.PENANAZj5f105QQC
262Please respect copyright.PENANASTj3RjL2dh
To be competent. To be confident. To be strong. To be a man who inspires others. To be a man who saves the helpless.262Please respect copyright.PENANAIuusSUax7H
262Please respect copyright.PENANAGZVp6LuklN
It seemed like these were all contradictions. Nobody could maintain being that way. His heavy breaths told him so. His failing limbs told him so. It was impossible not to slip into poor habits, to make a fool of oneself, to fall into the mendacious hands of ambition.262Please respect copyright.PENANAJyybGhDOO7
262Please respect copyright.PENANAAjJsFZjIUc
A part of him knew better, though. But that part was tucked away from the forefront of his mind. And in his weakness, Pars lamented only one thing: his inability to–262Please respect copyright.PENANAXZGObS8zgW
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"Whatever we do, it would be... smart of us to do it together."262Please respect copyright.PENANAVN0HK5Dv18
262Please respect copyright.PENANAqh6jxB7kh7
"--Huh?"262Please respect copyright.PENANA14y4wGoFv8
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"It's loathsome to admit, but you were right. I was stubborn, and I can't refuse to tolerate you this time."262Please respect copyright.PENANAAFNmhIAhGz
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"...Always backhanded, huh."262Please respect copyright.PENANAmIDbEN4jlX
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But Pars muttered that with an idiot's grin. To hear those words, and from that individual, from the person who sent him into such a mess in the first place. It almost made him laugh262Please respect copyright.PENANAUIQcDvLZpy
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"Just like the old days, huh? Alright, just give me a second."262Please respect copyright.PENANA3Tainet98l
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"We likely don't have one."262Please respect copyright.PENANAhY83Z85v7f
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He locked himself in thought, into a zone of his mind that split his focus and sense of time. He opened his eyes so his instincts could at least defend a surprise attack as he turned the cogs of his brain. He churned and churned and hoped for a bright idea to spawn from it. Something came of it, but–262Please respect copyright.PENANAGwAggU3h2d
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"It's gonna be an uphill battle."262Please respect copyright.PENANAvwpgL688Fm
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"So nothing has changed. Go on, spit it out."262Please respect copyright.PENANAlobTrj2BSt
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"Well, if you insist."262Please respect copyright.PENANAIKx2eNgjTp
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–
–
–
Dave and Pars reinforced their stances. They moved their retinas to the corners of their sockets and nodded at each other, then swiftly swapped spots.
"Go!"
Pars and Dave burst into sprints, charging at their respective opponents with nothing but their bare hands. The Bringers inched to challenge them but hesitated at the sight of their armlessness. That tiny moment was all that was needed.
Pars' opponent dashed back, but it didn't dodge any attack. Pars never made one. He kept sprinting and sprinting, and his ceaseless charge compelled the Bringer to keep backing away. His opponent eventually got his grip, because he planted his feet and brandished his lethal fists, ready to counter.
But, just short of arm's length, Pars lunged forward and tackled the Bringer. But not to the ground, because he made damn well sure he kept a foot on the floor. His right foot as an axis, he spun his body and released the Bringer.
The Bringer flew just a few feet away. He was completely unharmed, and only more cautious now. He dashed forward to hit Pars and struck him directly in the stomach.
"..."
His looming silence professed his query. Pars answered by grasping his arms, and with a toothy smile that leaked bile through its gaps–
"Gotcha."
**BOOM**
–A great gust of wind erupted from his palms.
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The bringer soared, rendered a bird by the speed that he flew. His attitude never decreased, he only moved further and further and further, completely opposite of Pars' direction.262Please respect copyright.PENANA3eBLlXQFJB
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There, Dave sprinted from his pursuing enemy. His speed just outpaced the Bringer's own, a fact made possible only by his lighter baggage. He clutched his clay in one hand and shielded it with the other, darting his eyes behind him every other second to make sure he was at a comfortable distance from the Bringer.262Please respect copyright.PENANAHUvM40qhS2
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And then, that's when he heard the explosion. All of a sudden, Dave skidded to a stop and spun around to face his adversary. The motion confused and intimidated his opponent, who slowed down initially. But he saw how Dave still hadn't conjured a weapon and quickly returned to his blitzing pace–262Please respect copyright.PENANA5VC9XeewdM
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**THUD**262Please respect copyright.PENANALtGKQfZf2K
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And then it came to a halt. Or rather, it was a boost. After all, this burst of speed was impossible by ordinary, human means. A feat that made it appear as if Dave was being pulled toward him. But this speed came with a blast, and truly, what good would it do if it meant his feet dislodged from the floor?262Please respect copyright.PENANASJKGfGhU8t
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"--!"262Please respect copyright.PENANA5JlatFo86n
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The two Bringers tumbled towards Dave. Dangerous dashing, utter discombobulation. The Bringer's heads hadn't moved an inch, yet it felt like they were closer to the floor than their legs. Flying and flying, but finally, they began to fall.262Please respect copyright.PENANAT9dMSX6SkY
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But then Dave put one foot down in front, and all their dismantled attention unified to that appendage. Dave began mana spinning, forming a tool out of his clay. A lengthy shaft with a pointed head whose tip grew thinner and thinner, because this tool only had one purpose: to impale.262Please respect copyright.PENANARc9CZ0CQMO
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Forgoing a spear, forgoing a dagger, and creating a great pole that would pierce even their plated armor. Within a second, their graves had been marked–262Please respect copyright.PENANAnwrDMiUJ0U
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**SPLICE**262Please respect copyright.PENANAqD29lCAiNN
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And it was that clay that became their stone.
Dave glared at the Bringers. He couldn't hold them long; his paltry tool was a terrible skewer. He released the two to the ground.262Please respect copyright.PENANA5EV2HSaXM4
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"I missed one."262Please respect copyright.PENANAxoqDW9oelG
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He took the end of the shaft and quickly transformed it into a sizable needle, then thrust it directly into the neck of the other. Then for good measure, kicked the two away so their sides touched the floor. Stuck together, bleeding together.262Please respect copyright.PENANAcCkhXxA87J
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At that moment, strangely, Dave wondered if they were good friends.262Please respect copyright.PENANAYPoQsXITv4
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"Hey!"262Please respect copyright.PENANALeNk69do7i
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The voice of Pars roared from his side. He turned his head and saw him clutching his ribs, panting once he came close.262Please respect copyright.PENANA8gzpdZmsoP
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"Nice! You really got them in one hit."262Please respect copyright.PENANAXJJmaMSTjo
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"Of course I did. That was a specialty of mine."262Please respect copyright.PENANAOZIO4IRBD2
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"Well, it's as you said, rust can make anything dull."262Please respect copyright.PENANAL8zWiGyxuL
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"I never said that."262Please respect copyright.PENANAjrLKX6ZEGI
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Pars turned away from Dave, looking at the two new corpses on the floor. He had a smile on his face, but it wasn't one wrung from the joy of victory but from the ability to still breathe.262Please respect copyright.PENANA7APYSbJ43C
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"It looks like working together was all we had to do all along."262Please respect copyright.PENANAubcUUaAlsB
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"As if. It was your weakened state that let him underestimate you."262Please respect copyright.PENANA7M68981jot
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"...Are you saying it wouldn't have worked if I didn't get my ass kicked?"262Please respect copyright.PENANA6SATtS988m
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To that, Dave merely raised his hands and smirked.262Please respect copyright.PENANA0civoPwDgV
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"Haaaa. Damn you."262Please respect copyright.PENANAWuVOy14rt8
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Pars plummeted to the ground. It was clear that his legs were failing, and all those beatings were catching up to him.262Please respect copyright.PENANAEf586bs1zW
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"They are dead, right?"262Please respect copyright.PENANArsUonXTNXm
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"I pierced one's heart and slit the neck of the other. If you doubt that, you can confirm it yourself."262Please respect copyright.PENANAvpppDzX1wz
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"I can't muster up the strength to stand. Seriously, I might even pass out."262Please respect copyright.PENANAp2GQbdUobV
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"I–"262Please respect copyright.PENANASeRdTZrw7X
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Dave opened his mouth to offer help, but a sudden wave of pain told him that carrying a live body would be practically impossible. So instead, he sat on the floor.262Please respect copyright.PENANAo147X3t8fK
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"Huh?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAl08yovucqx
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Pars looked at him with a raised eyebrow. David replied with one of his own.262Please respect copyright.PENANAP1ZaBN32l5
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"I thought you would leave the room. Not join me."262Please respect copyright.PENANAJdz9j66mWs
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"And leave you here by your lonesome? Why would I do that, anyway?"262Please respect copyright.PENANANEWEVdQZDf
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"Well... there's bodies we need to bury now. Or at least tags to be collected."262Please respect copyright.PENANAIfruAZBUrs
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"That can wait. I'm too weary and weak anyway."262Please respect copyright.PENANAGyzVhijH9O
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"Oh... yeah, that makes sense."262Please respect copyright.PENANAp8Jjbn2rjm
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The two men's gazes rested on the bodies of their enemies. It was gruesome, certainly, but their heavy robes hid any trace of their humanity. It was akin to being around a fire rather than a couple of corpses.262Please respect copyright.PENANAJZJceGO5c4
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"Do you think everyone else is fine?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAOMVoRqIeto
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"I don't know about the ones above, but the ones below are likely well. These two were exceptionally difficult."262Please respect copyright.PENANA9Gcj7F1mS5
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"Huh? And what about Lola? She took on an entire Harbinger!"262Please respect copyright.PENANAkmHbqFLN8g
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Dave tilted his head and stuck his eyes to the ceiling.262Please respect copyright.PENANAc0ZiwPQvfT
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"She wouldn't falter so easily. Not in this situation. And I know, because we haven't seen that Harbinger's face yet."262Please respect copyright.PENANASaYVjzuZLi
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"You raise a good point."262Please respect copyright.PENANA9aUQIR6vjH
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"But, I must admit that you impressed me, Pars."262Please respect copyright.PENANAsjSW2nN8oC
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The sudden shift of topic caught Pars by surprise.262Please respect copyright.PENANAtQTW8HtpGj
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"H-Huh? Hold on, where's this coming from?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAPQANf5uLZe
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"Nowhere but my sincerest thoughts. I didn't think you had it in you to abandon that charade."262Please respect copyright.PENANA3GEm8jgwik
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"Ha, abandon?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAQLxWJSlN1v
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Pars' gaze sternly hardened.262Please respect copyright.PENANAjxi5Uh23on
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"I didn't abandon anything. And this isn't a charade! I don't want to be a man who inspires just to get girls or something."262Please respect copyright.PENANAXrljCUZzxj
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"If you were, it was backfiring."262Please respect copyright.PENANAKOhmeBVcuG
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"Harhar. Very funny."262Please respect copyright.PENANAXUUKbMYS1L
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Pars rolled his eyes and continued speaking.262Please respect copyright.PENANAjfU5c69dGO
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"No. This? This wasn't working, you were right. But I can only give up so much of my attitude. Otherwise, the kids of this city will look at me as just another cranky soldier, and the members of our force won't have any beacons."262Please respect copyright.PENANAu9zaml2AAX
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"Aren't you conceited."262Please respect copyright.PENANAroq5CS6789
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"You think it's arrogance?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAJ0JLoB82kS
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Pars began to stroke his chin.262Please respect copyright.PENANAburEEdtVdq
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"I don't see it that way. Greatness inspires, y'know?"262Please respect copyright.PENANAxfmLyFkNJa
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"But what you want isn't just greatness."262Please respect copyright.PENANAXPGGH0jOVJ
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"...Yeah, you're right."262Please respect copyright.PENANAze7nqMVfCG
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Pars slacked his arms and stared blankly at the Bringers.262Please respect copyright.PENANAXGfKhGO5Id
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"I guess what I want, is to be a hero."